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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. HOWARD. Knitting Machine..

No. 242,129. f Patented May 31,1881.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' nnownnn. l .Knitting Machine.

10.242,129. Patented May 31,1881.

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v B- HOWARD. 3Sheets-Sheet. 3. Knitting Machine.

Patented May 31,188I.

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nrvmwon ATTORNEY faq N. PETERS. MLMnlnphr. Wllhinton. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HOWARD, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN HEALTH REFORM INSTITUTE, OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHiNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,129, dated May 31, 1881.

Application filed February 25, l1880.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HOWARD, ot'

fBattle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specication.

The object of the invention is to provide a knittin g-machine adapted, in an improved manner, to knit a fabric having alternate sections thereof formed of two different threads. By this means two threads of different color may be knit at the same time by alternate needles or alternate sections of needles, the face side of the fabric produced being formed in vertical stripes composed of one or more stitches, the back side of the fabric being formed of what is technically termed overshot work-that is, work in which one thread passes transversely over stitches of another thread. The vertical stripes which appear upon the face of the fabric may be formed each of asin gle stitch in a course, or they may be formed in sections of stitches in a course, each section having two or more stitches. These stripes alternate with each other in the color of the threads respectively used to form the same. For instance, if the two threads employed are respectively white and red, the stripes on the face side of the fabric will be alternately of these two colors. On the back side of the fabric the stitches of the white thread will be overshot by the red thread, and the stiches of the red thread will be overshot by the white thread.

The invention consists, first, in a ca1n-plate providedwith peculiarly-formed cams; second, in the combination, with said camplate, of two series of peculiarly-constructed needles third, in thecombin'atiomwith said cam-plate and needles, of a needle-gib.

The drawings represent parts sufiicient to illustrate the invention as adapted for straight knitting. It is apparent, however, that by suitable mechanical changes the invention can be readily adapted for circular knitting.

Figure 1 represents one of each of the two series of needles. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cam-plate provided with the cams. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the cam-plate and cams in position thereon. Fig. 4 is a view of a section ofthe needle-bed, showing theneedles and the needle-gib. Fig. 5 is a view of the cams, the needle-gib, and the two series of needles, respecti vel y, takin g different threads, as in operation. Fig. 6 is aview of a modification of the series of needles provided with stops. Fig. 7 is a View, on a magnified scale, of the fabric knit by my invention, said view showing the face side ofthe fabric. Fig. S is a view similar to the preceding one, but representing the reverse or back side of the fabric.

The cam-plate L is provided with live cams. The two cams O and D serve to simultaneously advance both series of needles to the termination of their respective forward strokes. The two cams G- and H serve to withdraw the two series of needles, one prior to the other, in their respective backward strokes. The fifth cam, E, forms no part of my invention, and hence requires no specic description.

The cam C is located at a point of the camplate, whereby it is adapted to engage rst with the needles as the cam-plate travels from right to left over the needle-bed R.

Of the two series of needles one series, O, have short butts A and stops B. The other series, N, have long butts A. The cam C projects from the cam-plate a sufficient distance to engage with the butts of both series of needies.

The cam D is located at the top of the cam C and is formed in continuance of the same.

In the drawings, the two cams C and D are shown as being formed in the same piece; but they may be formed in separate pieces. The cam D projects from the cam-plate a less distance than does cam C. The long butts of the one series of needles are adapted to be engaged with cani D, andthe short butts of the other series of needles are not adapted to be engaged with said cam.

The cam G is located on the cam-plate to the right of the advancing-cams C and D. Its top is practically in line with the top of cam D. This cani G projects from the cani-plate a sufficient distance to engage with the butts ofthe series of needles having short butts.

The cam Il is located to the right of cani G, and its top extends toward the top of the eamplate a greater distance than do the tops of cams I) and G. The two withdrawi11g-cams are in this manner located respectively at ditferent distances beyond the advancing-cani mechanism, whereby one series of needles may be engaged with their appropriate withdrawing-cam before the other series of needlcsmay be engaged with their appropriate withdrawing-cam, as is more fully hereinafter described. 'lhe working-faces ofthe two advancing-cams are formed in the same inclined line, and are adapted to provide a continuons path for the long-butt :needles to traverse. The workingfaces of the two withdrawing-cams are formed in parallel inclined lines, and are adapted to provide two independent paths, one path respectively foreach ofthe two series of needles.

The needle-gib l( is secured to the needlebed and extends transversely over the needles. It is adapted to engage with the stops B of the short-butt needles after the latter have traversed cam C. ln Fig. 1 of the drawings these stops are shown as formed h v bending the lower portion of each needle ont of line with the main body of the needle.

In Fig. 6 I show a modification wherein the stop is formed by extending upward that portion ot' the stock which forms the butt.

In operating the machine the two series of needles are placed in thenecdle-bcd in a manner dependent npon the character ot' the fabric to be knit. 1f thei'abric is to have its alternate color-stripes formed each of a single stitch in a course, then single needles of the two series alternate with eachother in the needle-bed. It the fabric is to have its alternate color-stripes formed each of two or more stitches in a course, then sections ot' two or more needles of each of the two series alternate with cach other in the needle-bed. The cam-plate traveling from rightto left, as well illustrated in 1 `ig.5,eauses the cam C to engage with the butts of both series of needles, and simultaneously advance both series. t

The series having short butts complete their forward stroke bypassing over the top of cam C, the stops l of said series engaging with the gib K, and thns arresting the series in their forward movement. The series o' needles having long butts pass directly from engagement with cam (j to engagement with cam I), and they continue their forward movement until they have passed over the top ot' cam l). The long-butt series then remain stationary until cam G has engaged with the short-butt series, and the latter having taken their appropriate one of the two dill'erent threads, are withdrawn over the first portion ot' the backward stroke. The stationary position ofthe long-bnttscries permits the short-butt series to thus take their appropriate thread, and the prior withdrawal of the short-butt series permits thc long butt series to tal- 1e their appropriate thread, and by engagement with cam II to be withdrawn in their backward stroke.

A fabric knit by this machine is represented in the last two lignres of the drawings on a highIy-nragniiied scale, the vertical stripes in this instance heilig composed each ol' a single stitch in a course.

Fig. T represents the face side of the fabric, and Fig. o represents the reverse side. One thread, S, appears in alternate vertical stripes upon the face side of the fabric, and is overshot upon the back side by the other thread, T. This thread T appears in alternate vertical Stripes upon the l'ace side ofthe fabric, and is overshot upon the back side by thread S.

Having t'nlly described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln a knitting-machine which forms a fabric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two series of needles, a cam plate, and cam mechanism which advances both series of needles to the termination of their forward strokes, of two independent withdrawing-cains located respectively at different distances beyond the advancing-cam mechanism, said withdrawingcams being` adapted to maintain one series of needles stationary at the close ot' their forward stroke, while the other series ot needles accomplish the irst portion ot' their bark ward stroke, substantially as set forth.

2. In a knitting-machine which l'ormsa fabric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two series of needles having butts of different length, a camplate, and cam mech anism which advances both series ot'needles to the termination of their forward strokes, oltwo withdrawing-cams, G and II, located respectively at different distances beyond the advancing-cam mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In a knitting-machine which forms a fabric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two series of needles having butts of' different length, and a cam-plate, oftwo advancing-cams, C and l), and two withdrawingcams, G and H, said withdrawing-cams bein g respectivclylocated atdifferent distances beyond the advancing-cams, substantially as set forth.

4. ln aknitting-machinc which forms a fabiic having its stitches knit from two different threads, thc combination, with two series oi.' needles having butts of different length, and a cam-plate, of two advancing-cams, C and l), having their working-faccsin the same inclined line, said cam l) being located at the top ot' cam C, and two withdrawing-cams, Cr and II, respectively located at different distances beyond the advancing-cams, substantially as set forth.

IIO

5. In a knitting-machine which forms a fahric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two 'series of needles having butts of different length, andacam-plate, of two advancing cams, C and D, having their working-facesin the sameinclined line, and two withdrawing-cams, Gand H, respectively located at different distances beyond the advancing-cams, said cam HeXtending toward the top of the cam-plate a greater distance than does cam G, substantially as set forth.

6. In a knitting-machine which forms afabric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two series of needles having butts of different length, and a cam-plate, ot' two advancing-cams, C and D, having their working-faces in the sameinclincd line, and two withdrawing-cams, G and H, respectivelylocated at different distances beyond the advancing-cams, said cam Gr having its top practically in line with the top of cam D, and said cam H having itstop extended toward the top of the cam-plate a greater distance than the top of cam D, substantially as set forth.

7. In a knitting-machine which forms afabric having its stitches knit from two different threads, the combination, with two series of needles having butts of different length, a camplate, and two advancing-cams, C and D, hav- 3o ing their working-faces formed in the sameinclined line, said cam D located at the top of cam C, of two withdrawing-cams, G and H, respectively located at different distances beyond the ad vancing-cams, said cam G having its top 3 5 practically in line with the top of cam D, said cam H extending toward the top of the camplate a greater distance than do cams D and G, substantially as set forth.

8. In a knitting-machine, the combination, 4o with a needle-bed and two series of needles, one of which series is provided with stops, of a cam-plate provided with withdrawing-cams and advancing-cams adapted to advance the two series of needles different distances, and 45 a gib secured to the said needle-bed, for limiting the extent of movement of the series of needles having the stops, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD HOWARD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. PALMER, H. W. KELLOGG. 

